OnMilwaukee.com

Milwaukee's Daily Magazine

To help tell which new movies are brand new iPhones and which ones are re-gifted fruitcakes, we've put together this Christmas preview of the naughty and the nice heading to theaters this holiday season.

There's nothing like a snowy Packers game in December. And, according to USA Today, which sorted the most Instagrammed location in each state based on geo-tagging, there's nothing in Wisconsin that compares to the iconic and ever-popular Lambeau Field.

Being involved in the world of MMA in the sport's early days was akin to growing up during the upstart of punk rock. Unlike the masses, we always believed in its talent, integrity and potential. It's such a brave new world for MMA now; so much has been achieved, so much left to go.

It's one of Milwaukee's most cherished and distinctive culinary traditions: the Friday fish fry. This long-lived ritual is alive and thriving in Milwaukee - especially, but not only, during Lent. It's a big list, so dig in and read on.

The historic Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame today announced that 2016 Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Donald Driver will serve as emcee of the 66th Anniversary Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame Induction on April 29, 2017.

Putting a hot meal on the table is getting easier and easier, thanks to myriad options for home delivery services. And local business owner Alan Harris of Urban Caveman and FreshPacks, has reenergized his business thanks to a merger with Origin Meals.

On Thursday night, 86 percent of the membership in attendance at the Italian Community Center voted to sell a 1.8-acre parcel of the center's parking lots in the Third Ward, adjacent to Summerfest, to the Milwaukee Ballet for $2.4 million.

Summerfest has announced that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will headline two nights at the Marcus Amp for next year's Summerfest 50. The band will take the stage - along with special guest Chris Stapleton - on Wednesday, July 5 and Thursday, July 6.

Sky Zone in Waukesha provides an afternoon of safe bouncing, trampoline basketball, a foam pit and more. OnMilwaukee recently stopped by and was surprised by how much fun it was - for kids and adults. Put it on your winter break to-do list.

The great Milwaukee weekend is here, and so is your OnMilwaukee Weekend Preview. Head to the FM 102.1 Snow Show, the MSO plays David Bowie, carolers at Colectivo, The Christmas Carol or R. Kelly's Christmas Concert. Cheer on the Milwaukee Bucks and go back in time with Montell Jordan. Dance at The Get Down, shop a Maker's Market or attend the Young MKE Holiday Gala. All of these great ideas and more await you!

Every few years, we remind you about Chief, the hard-rocking Milwaukee band that you should check out. Why? Not because frontman Chris Tischler compares Chief to Van Halen and Judas Priest, although that's a pretty good reason to give them a listen, since they're excellent musicians.

If you love rich delicious chocolate fudge, you may want to ditch your traditional recipe in favor of this version, which uses the rich flavor of cold pack Cheddar to boost the creaminess quotient. Sound strange? Trust us, it's a fantastic variation on the classic.

The Bucks today launched a new partnership with SkillSmart to create a workforce development platform for family-supporting careers in the new arena district - both during the construction process and for end-use positions in the arena and surrounding development.

BMO Harris Bank announced this morning that it will replace its seven-story parking garage on Water and Wells Streets with a 25-story office tower expected to be open by late 2019. The BMO Harris Financial Center will also include a new parking structure facing Broadway.

Now that the initial emotion from the Aug. 13 shooting of Sylville Smith by police officer Dominique Heaggan-Brown has subsided, it's time to take a look at some of the fiery rhetoric uttered that night - and look at the facts about life in Milwaukee.

The restaurant that was formerly Wild Earth Cucina at Potawatomi Bingo and Casino will be replaced by Bella Italiana beginning next week. The new concept will feature a more traditional Italian menu of classic dishes to better serve clientele at the casino.

U.S. Cellular and Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. officials today announced a new 10-year agreement that will demolish the existing U.S. Cellular Connection Stage and replace it with a new, larger stage and an enhanced guest experience for Summerfest 2018.

Let me just say up front that I love tips from readers and friends. Tips like this one I got last week: "Knowing you, you already know about this. In case you don't: There is a helicopter in the floor of the old A.O. Smith plant." Here's the story.

The Democratic party must still note the value of its black voters, staffers and political consulting firms in 2018. If not, the entire party will descend even deeper into minority status just like the electors they seem to take for granted.

There will soon be another Milwaukee brewery tour to enjoy. Third Space Brewing will launch public brewery tours beginning on Dec. 10. We've got all the details on the tours, as well as information on other upcoming events at the brewery.

The Brewers traded Tyler Thornburg to Boston for Travis Shaw and two prospects Tuesday. The young guys are nice, but to ignore Shaw would be a mistake. And to disregard him is a disservice to one of the greatest things in sports, his nickname, which is "Mayor of Ding Dong City."

MobCraft CEO Henry Schwartz first apologized for a proposed beer called "Date Grape" and when asked about three of the craft brewery's previous labels that contain racial stereotypes he promised future labels would not include the imagery.

For Jay's final Trump column (until It Becomes Real), he dives into some armchair psychology, claiming Donald Trump is perhaps this century's single best example of Dunning-Kruger Effect. Take that, Michael Scott from "The Office."

Tricklebee Cafe, a new non-profit cafe in the Washington Park neighborhood, is the first pay-what-you-can-cafe to open in Milwaukee. It operates under the a pay-what-you-can model, offering food and beverages to any diner, regardless of their means.

For the second year, The Pfister Marketplace popped up inside the former Roger Steven's shop in the opulent lobby of the Pfister Hotel, 424 E. Wisconsin Ave. The marketplace features art of all kinds created by 65 Milwaukee-based artists.

On this day, 120 years ago, local boxing fans stole out to a roadhouse near Hales Corners, after midnight and in a blizzard, to watch an illegal prizefight for the lightweight championship of Wisconsin. Many of them ended up in worse shape than the combatants in the ring.

The excitement generated by the "Sushi Soon" signs spotted in Bay View this summer was palpable. But as of today, residents have even more sushi news to get fired up about. Longtime food truck Sushi Go is settling into a brick and mortar location.

For the second time in three months, Packers defensive tackle Mike Pennel has been suspended for violating the NFL's Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse, and his regular season is now over. Pennel's suspension begins immediately.

Author Jason Diamond went to find '80s film icon John Hughes and write his biography. He came back with his own personal memoir, "Searching for John Hughes," instead. We chatted with the author about Hughes, his beloved movies and nostalgia.

Birch and Banyan is the name of a new coffee shop moving into Hartland at 150 E. Capitol Dr. The shop, which is slated to open by mid-March, is located in a 125-year-old building that once held a coffin manufacturing company.

The back end of the bullpen continued to generate a high return for the rebuilding Brewers, as the club Tuesday traded reliever Tyler Thornburg to the Red Sox. In exchange, Milwaukee acquired third baseman Travis Shaw and prospects Josh Pennington and Mauricio Dubon.

Massive efforts and cooperation were required to bring the brand new version of "A Christmas Carol" to The Pabst Theater by The Rep. The building of the set and the technological challenges were overcome with coordination of all the big jobs.

As I enter the former warehouse at 2461 W. Center St., I stop to envision the mid-December day in 1927 when Martin Grueschow walked into his completed Eschweiler and Eschweiler-designed warehouse for the first time. Now, someone else has high hopes for the building.

In winter, the warmth of a fire makes a good drinking buddy, and toasting - or getting toasted - in front of a fireplace is perfect on a blustery night. Here's a list of some great places to warm you inside and out.

In the past few years, West Allis has upped its style with numerous new, contemporary shops, bars and eateries. In early 2017, West Allis will welcome its first brewery, Westallion Brewing Co. An open house is slated at the brewery for Friday, Dec. 16.

I wasn't really in the market for a new TV, but like so many others, I got suckered into buying a huge one on Black Friday. I was lured by the low, low prices, but also the idea of having a super-sharp 65-inch television that would be ready for 4K.

The NBA announced today that Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Nov. 28-Dec. 4. The award is the second for Antetokounmpo and the first for Milwaukee since Antetokounmpo won it in February 2015.

If you haven't yet jumped onto the Bucks' bandwagon, this might be a good time to get aboard. And if you still haven't been to a home game this year, to inelegantly paraphrase basketball bard Bill Shakespeare, now is the week of your bliss-content.

West Siders will soon be able to get their fix of Middle Eastern grilled delights like kebabs and shawarma, thanks to the opening of a second Shawarma House location. The restaurant, which launched in 2014 on Oakland Avenue, holds a grand opening this week.

New Kinnickinnic Whiskey caramels are just a small piece in a brand new puzzle being tackled by business owner Rebecca Scarberry, who has spent the past three years sorting through the challenges that come with growing a small business.

The observance of St. Nicholas Day - often just called "St. Nick's" - lands on the short list of primarily-in-Milwaukee occurrences like Bloody Mary chasers, candy raisins and the word "bubbler." It takes place tonight!

This morning, the Pabst Theater Group and Alverno College announced the return of Uncovered, the music series born as a part of the now-retired Alverno Presents program, with two shows coming next year, dedicated to A Tribe Called Quest and Stevie Wonder.

Here's everything you need to know, or just forgot, or missed because you were outside throwing snowballs around, like Brett Favre at Donald Driver - plus all kinds of other wacky whatnots, from the Green Bay Packers' 21-13 win over the Houston Texans at Lambeau Field on Sunday.